Chapter 8
I forced my eyes open, staring at him with absolutely no warmth.]
“Lavinia, we grew up together! We’re fated mates! Just trust me one more time!“]]
“This time, I swear I’ll treat you right! I’ll treat our pups right!“]
“I’ll never hurt you again!“]]
Malik looked at me with such earnest desperation, and all I could do was laugh.[]
Too little, too late, asshole.
He wasn’t sorry–he was terrified.]
The Hawthorne pack’s empire had crumbled overnight, and even his seemingly invincible grandfather had dropped dead.
Now Malik had no choice but to believe in the curse.
Seeing him grovel like a beaten dog, I smiled with pure contempt.[]
Malik, you say you’re sorry and want my forgiveness.“[]
“So tell me–are you willing to bleed for it?“]
Malik thought I was softening and nodded frantically.[]
“Yes! Whatever it takes to make you happy! I’ll do anything!”
He grabbed a needle and jammed it into his own arm without hesitation.[]
Two hundred milliliters. Four hundred.]
I didn’t tell him to stop.
By the time we hit a thousand milliliters, cold sweat was pouring down his face.
He looked ghostly pale, ready to collapse at any moment.[]
“Lavinia… are you satisfied now?
I burst out laughing like he’d told the world’s funniest joke.
“Satisfied?”
“We’re just getting started!“]]
“Malik. you let Abigail drain every drop from my body. Now you’re going to pay back every single milliliter yourself!”
Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes.
“Lavinia, I know I fucked up! I know I was wrong!“]]
“I already punished Abigail with my own hands!“]
“I won’t run from this–I promise!“]
The daily thousand–milliliter blood draws quickly broke him down. He became a skeletal shadow of himself, his wolf unable to heal the constant blood loss.]
Meanwhile, the bad news kept pouring in.[]
Half the pack elders had died suddenly within days.]
Hawthorne Group had declared bankruptcy under crushing debt.[]
Hundreds of billions in losses had destroyed his father.]
His mother lay bedridden, clutching our pup’s ashes and refusing to let go.]]
After each blood draw, Malik would wait outside my hospital room like a whipped beta.
I motiqned him over, and he practically sprinted inside, pathetically eager.]
“Does it hurt?”
False Mate Triv
The moment I spoke to him, he shook his head violently.
“No! Lavinia, I don’t feel any pain! As long as you’re a little happier, I can handle anything!“[]
I bit down on my own wrist until it bled, then held it out to him.]
“My Moon Priestess bloodline and blessing are connected. If it can protect your pack from the curse, it can also heal your body.“[]
Malik looked stunned by this unexpected mercy. He carefully pressed his lips to my bleeding wrist and took a tentative sip.[]
Just that tiny taste sent immediate warmth flooding through his system, his wolf purring with relief.[]
But what Malik didn’t realize was that this wasn’t healing warmth–it was divine fire that would consume him from within.]
Day by day, my body grew stronger while his withered away.
He fell into a coma as the pack doctors issued one critical condition notice after another. His wolf had gone completely silent.[]
Marcus and Elena finally swallowed their pride and came begging.
I simply pulled out a mate bond severance decree.
The ancient curse has already taken hold of your entire pack. I can’t control that, but I can spare Malik’s life.”
All he has to do is sign this. Once our mate bond is severed, I’m no longer tied to your bloodline.”
“When our connection is broken, the curse will release him.‘
“He won’t have to die.”
Marcus grabbed the papers and rushed to Malik’s bedside.
During one of his rare lucid moments, Malik saw the bond severance decree and refused to sign without hesitation.]
Chapter 9
